Both Sides of the Broom (Week 5 Recap)
Terrier women continue to roll, sweeping another weekend, while the men's inconsistent play leads them being swept at home
The women sweep the Providence College Friars to extend their winning streak to 7 while the men struggled to keep pace with the Michigan Wolverines and get swept on the weekend.
Women’s
Providence (5-1 W, 3-2 W)
In game one, the Terriers got out to an early lead when Neeley Nicholson record her first goal of the season and first career shorthanded goal. Union transfer Riley Walsh extended the lead with her fourth goal of the season and extending her point streak to 3 games. In the second period Clara Yuhn scored her fourth of the season, so far this season all 4 of her points have been goals. The Friars would get one back late in the third, but it would not be enough. Ani FitzGerald scored an empty netter and added two assists to record a career high 3 points in the game and her second career multipoint game. Lola Reid scored another empty netter in the waning seconds of the game and recorded her fourth multipoint game of the season. Reid is one of only 4 Terriers with 4 or more multipoint games in her first 10 games—Marie-Philip Poulin, Melissa Anderson, Laurel Koller. Callie Shanahan saved 32 of 33 shots on goal, allowing 1 goal or less in 6 of her first 7 games this season. The Terriers are a perfect 4-0 vs. the Friars at Agganis Arena, their most wins vs. any opponent at the arena.
The Terriers headed down to Schneider Arena for game two, looking for a weekend sweep of the Friars for the first time since January 11th and 12th, 2019. Clara Yuhn lit the lamp early in the first on the power play, her third goal in her last four games. PC tied things in the second, before Luisa Welcke scored two to give the Scarlet and White the lead for good. It was Welcke’s first multi-goal game since she recorded 2 vs. the Terriers as a freshman on the Maine Black Bears.
BU went 2-2 on the PK on Friday and 4-5 on Saturday, allowing their first power play goal since the waning minutes of their first game vs. the Gophers on October 4th, ending a streak of 25 straight penalties killed.
With 3 straight wins vs. PC dating back to last season, the Terriers are on their longest winning streak against the Friars since winning 10 straight from February 15th, 2014 through September 25th 2016. Winners of 7 straight, the Scarlet and White are on their longest winning streak since an 8 game win streak from October 26th, 2013 through November 15th, 2013
Other Notes
Through 7 games, BU has already earned half of their point total from all of last season
12 different Terriers have scored a goal so far this season, their most through November 2nd since 2012-13 (12 goalscorers)
Men’s
Michigan (1-5 L, 4-5 L (OT))
The Terriers couldn’t keep pace with the Michigan Wolverines and fall 1-5 and 4-5 (OT), their first time being swept at home since October 13-14, 2017 vs. Minnesota State.
After a scoreless first period in game one, Cole Eiserman scored his 5th goal in his fourth home game 3:31 into the second. Eiserman is the third Terrier to score in 4 straight home games—since 2002-03—to start the season, Matt Nieto (2011-12) and Lane Hutson (2023-24) the others. Michigan would score 5 unanswered goals in the 3rd, including 3 power play goals. The Terriers took 6 penalties for 23 penalty minutes, including a major and a game misconduct for Quinn Hutson at 11:33 in the third.
In game two, the Terriers went down early in the first before co-captain Shane Lachance tied things up midway through the first. It was his 4th career goal vs. a Big Ten team—his most against any non-Hockey East conference. Merrimack transfer Matt Copponi gave the Scarlet and White the lead with 6 seconds left in the 1st, his first goal as a Terrier, and his first goal since January 19th, 2024 vs. BC while playing for Merrimack. That lead did not last long, as Michigan tied it up in the first minute of the second. After an assist on Copponi’s goal, Alex Zetterberg added a goal to give him his first career multipoint game. Michigan would again tie it up 10:12 into the third before Devin Kaplan gave BU the lead back with his first goal at Agganis since February 12th, 2024 vs. Northeastern. The Terriers would eventually fall in overtime to the Wolverines. Their first overtime loss at home since November 4th, 2023—also a 4-5 scoreline—vs. North Dakota.
Other Notes
The last time BU lost consecutive home games, Oct 9th and 15th, 2021, a streak of 50 straight home games since then
Advanced Stats
Game 1
BU got completely outplayed in all aspects of the game, allowing Michigan double the scoring chances, shots on goal, and nearly double the shot attempts. After two, BU actually lead in expected goals 1.55 to 1.39—1st Period 0.28-1.44 (Michigan), 2nd 1.27-.25. In the third, BU gave up 3 high danger shots, 1 of which resulted in a goal (3rd Period xG: 2.10-.53).
Michigan severely limited BU’s chances, with only .2 of BU’s xG coming for high danger shots. Only 4 Terriers had a positive Offensive Impact, three of which were defenseman—Willander, C. Hutson, Boumedienne—Matt Copponi being the only forward.
BU’s offense and defense fell apart after Michigan took the lead, recording just 3 shot attempts totaling just 0.06 while Michigan took 24 totaling 1.47, nearly half of their total xG.
Game 2
Game 2 vs. the Wolverines was much closer than game 1 with BU leading in SOG, Shots and Scoring Chances. 4 of BU’s 15 scoring chances were recorded by Matt Copponi, his most as a Terrier, and tied for his 2nd most in the past two seasons (7). Breaking down the xG per period: 1st (.74-.47, BU), 2nd (.82-.83, Michigan), 3rd (.38-.53), OT (.33-.66 Michigan).
Brahden Engum recorded his first positive Net xG (.37) game as a Terrier and had all-around one of his best games in Scarlet and White, recording a 69% CF%, surpassed only by Mick Frechette who recorded a 73% CF%.
BU recorded 3 high danger shots—totaling .73 xG—compared to Michigan’s 2 (.45 xG). BU led the xG differential in all but three instances: 11th minute of the first period, 2nd minute of the 2nd period, and last two minutes of overtime.
